Handmade Monday - The Pricing Principle

It's Monday and time for a trip over to Handmade Harbour to see what's been happening in other crafty worlds.   It would seem that we're all in the throws of getting ready for Christmas, and in the main trying not to panic.

I've been keeping busy listing a piece a day in my Etsy shop - today's piece is this unique bracelet:

The plan for this week is to get my Christmas on - I figure this is a bit of a start as it's got Red in.  I foresee a lot of Red and Green over the next few days.

One of the things I find a major challenge once I've completed a piece is the pricing.  How do you price a uniquely handcrafted piece of jewellery?  I'm sure my pricing model, or lack there of, isn't in any marketing books.  At least not in any of the ones I studied whilst getting my degree in Marketing.

Each piece I make is lovingly put together and the intricate detailing in linking the ribbons can take a considerable amount of time.  Essentially if I were to base my pricing on the time taken to put pieces together the price tag would be so much higher than those shown in my shop.  Essentially my pricing comes from value.  One of the key values held by me and therefore reflected in my pricing is summed up in a quote I love from Sarah Jessica Parker (she made it when setting a challenge on Project Runway).

I like to take it a little further and go with 'Luxury can be affordable to all.  I like to think that the pricing at The MacsX reflects that.

Back to the making.

Catherine at The MacsX

Usual Sunday BS - Or Not

I like Einstein's definition of 'crazy' i.e. "doing the same thing and expecting different results".  And as much as I believe that a little crazy is what keeps us 'sane' I am trying to let go of a lot of the crazy.  Let's face it a lot of it has been a result of the 'shoulds' and 'crazy' that is out there in the world and little by little I am letting it go and getting back to being me.  And if that's still a little crazy so be it.

Rambling over, the point I was trying to make is that some of the things I have been trying are not working (relying solely on Etsy as a sales base for my unique handcrafted pieces), some of the things I have resisted are actually worthwhile and bring results (tweeting regularly and following the right people) and some things don't need to be reinvented just for the sake of doing things differently(no need to make my own organising system when there's Evernote).

Today's addition to my Etsy Shop:

So this week I will be focusing on my holiday shop, 'getting my festive on'.  I will be listing on My Facebook space whilst checking out some other springboards, updating my Craftfest stall - a lot of folks are already so far ahead and generally enjoying my creativity - I like that I am doing more and more of that.

Have a great week

Catherine at The MacsX

A Little Saturday Sunshine

First post I found on my Facebook Newsfeed this morning - thought it was perfect for here.

And then I found this - a double dose of Sunshine. (both courtesy of On Common Ground)

Have a great weekend

Catherine at The MacsX

Four Pins for Friday - something for all seasons

Some of my likes for this week

This weeks pinterest likes can be found here.  Tidying my pins up is on my list of to do's - soon...soon...

And today's Etsy addition a bracelet that has colours for this season and next.

Have a great weekend - I'll be spreading a little Saturday Sunshine tomorrow and the Usual BS on Sunday.

Taking it to The MacsX every day
 

Catherine at The MacsX

Thursday's Thoughtful Thread - In the Beginning

I've been doing some reading this week and thinking a lot about what I've been doing with my business.  I feel like I've been on a very long journey and now feel that I am about to take my second step.  Basically I feel like the past couple of years have been a perpetual beginning. And the following quote sums that up:

“Beginnings are always messy.” – John Galsworthy

Tara Gentile's blog brought these words of wisdom


"Have faith in your ability to step back from the work enough to see how the business could succeed without your constant interference." Tara Gentile

And at last I have taken some time to step back, stopped the constant interference and am working on putting the pieces of my story together with a lot of help from Bernadette Jiwa.  The new book from the author of 'The Story of Telling' blog really gets to the grass roots of story telling - I, at last, feel like I've found my story and it's ripe for the telling.

Today's addition to my Etsy Shop - The London Calling Phone Box

I completed the Phonebox using funky Paisley style fabric in the background.  I am contemplating adding London Calling to the canvas - maybe I'll save that for mark II.

So back to work on living the story.

Catherine at The MacsX